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The CallsLoading...
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By: Jason Ajello
Martin is an eleven-year-old boy who lives in the village of WestWend with his mother, Sarah. When Martin was born, his mother hid him away in order to protect him from his father, who most, including Sarah, believed had murdered Martin's twin brother shortly after he was born. Martin’s father was actually the prince of the nearby kingdom of Tafferyn. After he abandoned Martin and Sarah, he too went into hiding and his disappearance has been surrounded in mystery in the neighboring lands. Sarah, in fear for her son, and heartbroken over the loss of her other child, has lived in secrecy for years hoping to protect Martin and to avoid the reach of his long-lost father.
At times, Martin has felt disconnected with the world around him, but he has never been aware that he once had a brother. Despite his feelings of isolation, Martin has always felt a strange and mysterious connection that he could not explain or understand. Soon after Martin turned eleven years old, from time to time, he heard a voice in his head. The only words that Martin could decipher were “please…rescue.”
At times, Martin has felt disconnected with the world around him, but he has never been aware that he once had a brother. Despite his feelings of isolation, Martin has always felt a strange and mysterious connection that he could not explain or understand. Soon after Martin turned eleven years old, from time to time, he heard a voice in his head. The only words that Martin could decipher were “please…rescue.”
One night, when Martin fell asleep, he had a dream in which he saw a mysterious figure that he could not identify. The figure ominously called out to Martin: “Please rescue me. I am in the caves of Hebra Peak.”
“Wait, who are you, and why do you need to be rescued?”, said Martin. The mysterious figure disappeared and Martin was left with questions about who he had seen in his dream and whether the figure was somehow related to the voice that he had been hearing in his head. When Martin awoke, he approached his mother about the dream.
“Mom, I’ve been hearing voices in my head recently. Last night, I dreamed of a mysterious figure that told me to go to the caves of Hebra Peak to rescue it,” said Martin.
“Martin, there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you," said Martin’s mother.
“What is it, Mom?”
“Before you were born, I fell in love with the Prince of Tafferyn who was a kind and charming man. Our love was forbidden since I was not from Taffernyn and, as a royal, his future wife had
“Wait, who are you, and why do you need to be rescued?”, said Martin. The mysterious figure disappeared and Martin was left with questions about who he had seen in his dream and whether the figure was somehow related to the voice that he had been hearing in his head. When Martin awoke, he approached his mother about the dream.
“Mom, I’ve been hearing voices in my head recently. Last night, I dreamed of a mysterious figure that told me to go to the caves of Hebra Peak to rescue it,” said Martin.
“Martin, there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you," said Martin’s mother.
“What is it, Mom?”
“Before you were born, I fell in love with the Prince of Tafferyn who was a kind and charming man. Our love was forbidden since I was not from Taffernyn and, as a royal, his future wife had
One night, when Martin fell asleep, he had a dream in which he saw a mysterious figure that he could not identify. The figure ominously called out to Martin: “Please rescue me. I am in the caves of Hebra Peak.”
“Wait, who are you, and why do you need to be rescued?”, said Martin. The mysterious figure disappeared and Martin was left with questions about who he had seen in his dream and whether the figure was somehow related to the voice that he had been hearing in his head. When Martin awoke, he approached his mother about the dream.
“Mom, I’ve been hearing voices in my head recently. Last night, I dreamed of a mysterious figure that told me to go to the caves of Hebra Peak to rescue it,” said Martin.
“Martin, there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you," said Martin’s mother.
“What is it, Mom?”
“Before you were born, I fell in love with the Prince of Tafferyn who was a kind and charming man. Our love was forbidden since I was not from Taffernyn and, as a royal, his future wife had
“Wait, who are you, and why do you need to be rescued?”, said Martin. The mysterious figure disappeared and Martin was left with questions about who he had seen in his dream and whether the figure was somehow related to the voice that he had been hearing in his head. When Martin awoke, he approached his mother about the dream.
“Mom, I’ve been hearing voices in my head recently. Last night, I dreamed of a mysterious figure that told me to go to the caves of Hebra Peak to rescue it,” said Martin.
“Martin, there is something I’ve been meaning to tell you," said Martin’s mother.
“What is it, Mom?”
“Before you were born, I fell in love with the Prince of Tafferyn who was a kind and charming man. Our love was forbidden since I was not from Taffernyn and, as a royal, his future wife had
already been chosen by his parents. The Prince loved me dearly, but when it was learned that I was to have his child, he understood that our love was forbidden and that it could not last. I don’t know how to tell you this, Martin, but, your father, the prince of Taffernyn, took your twin brother, Jake, and went into hiding after you were both born. Since that time, we have lived in hiding and I have believed that your brother may have been murdered since our love was forbidden by the royals of Tafferyn. The kingdom of Tafferyn starts around the Hebra Mountains. If the mysterious figure said that it was located in the caves of Hebra Peak, there is a chance that it could be your brother. After all these years, my son, your brother, could be alive!”
Martin was briefly stunned, saddened and filled with purpose all at once.
“I can’t believe that I had a brother and that he may have been killed or imprisoned by my father. If my father was the prince of Tafferyn, where is he now? It may be my destiny to find my brother, if he is still alive, and to meet my father.”
Martin’s mother was torn by Martin’s
Martin was briefly stunned, saddened and filled with purpose all at once.
“I can’t believe that I had a brother and that he may have been killed or imprisoned by my father. If my father was the prince of Tafferyn, where is he now? It may be my destiny to find my brother, if he is still alive, and to meet my father.”
Martin’s mother was torn by Martin’s
acceptance of this challenge.
On one hand, she was excited to learn that Martin’s twin brother may still be alive, but she was also terrified by the possibility of Martin venturing out on his own to find the brother and father he had never known.
“You have my permission to go, but you must stay safe. There are many dangers that you can face in the Hebra Mountains. Take this pendant, it holds a power that can help you succeed on your journey. You must only open it once you reach your destination,” said Sarah reluctantly.
That night, Martin had another dream in which the mysterious figure appeared to him yet again. This time, however, Martin could see that the mysterious figure resembled a young boy who called out again to Martin the words, “please…rescue,” and told Martin where he could find the entrance to the elaborate cave system where he was being hidden. Martin awoke from his dream state and was determined to find his brother. Armed with this information and with the pendant from his mother, Martin set out on
On one hand, she was excited to learn that Martin’s twin brother may still be alive, but she was also terrified by the possibility of Martin venturing out on his own to find the brother and father he had never known.
“You have my permission to go, but you must stay safe. There are many dangers that you can face in the Hebra Mountains. Take this pendant, it holds a power that can help you succeed on your journey. You must only open it once you reach your destination,” said Sarah reluctantly.
That night, Martin had another dream in which the mysterious figure appeared to him yet again. This time, however, Martin could see that the mysterious figure resembled a young boy who called out again to Martin the words, “please…rescue,” and told Martin where he could find the entrance to the elaborate cave system where he was being hidden. Martin awoke from his dream state and was determined to find his brother. Armed with this information and with the pendant from his mother, Martin set out on
his adventure to Hebra Peak in the early morning hours. Darkness and an eerie chill surrounded him all throughout his journey, but somehow the pendant around his neck seemed to be guiding him through the shadows and closer to Hebra Peak. When Martin arrived at the base of the mountain, he realized that it would be too difficult for him to climb on his own, so he sought out help from a strange looking man that he saw in the village located at the base of the mountain. The man, hunched over and leaning on a crooked stick that seemed to be holding him up like a cane, asked Martin whether he needed any help getting to Hebra Peak.
Martin noticed that the old man had some climbing gear and asked if he could borrow it.
“You’re going to have to pay for that! Why don’t you pay with the pendant?”
said the man.
“Sorry, I can’t do that. I can pay with these two coins. That's all I have,” Martin replied.
“That is not nearly enough, but don’t worry, trust the strength of that pendant around your neck, it will guide you.”
Martin noticed that the old man had some climbing gear and asked if he could borrow it.
“You’re going to have to pay for that! Why don’t you pay with the pendant?”
said the man.
“Sorry, I can’t do that. I can pay with these two coins. That's all I have,” Martin replied.
“That is not nearly enough, but don’t worry, trust the strength of that pendant around your neck, it will guide you.”